Maybe it is just for me, but has anybody felt that the SkyTrain’s MK-I (the old ones) train sets have got poor ventilation and strange odor? Yes, I understand that these are probably antique stuff from the mid-80s, but really, in my opinion, they smell pretty bad. Opening the windows barely help, so I am starting to doubt that it is really, a minor design flaw in terms of ventilation and comfort. I am not able to tell the source of the smell, though I suspect that it is probably a mixture of the smell of the artificial-leather chairs and the train’s long exposure to all sorts of smell from different people. Don’t get me wrong here, I am not saying that the all passengers should watch for their smell before entering, but rather, the elimination of strange odor should be a part of maintenance too. I think that public transportation should not only provide rapid and convenient services, but also a comfortable trip.
I find that the newer MK-II is able to fulfill many of my wishes, despite the fact that it is done at the cost of having fewer seats. Since it is still impossible for all MK-Is to be deemed as obsolete now, I really hope that TransLink could try and improve the overall quality of the public transportation.
Why does it seem like me asking too much? Mainly because of 2 reasons:
1. A small survey that I did among my family members and friends showed that most people prefer MK-I because of the number of seats available; apparently the smell is not too big of a issue as long as there are places to sit. Also, some of them say that MK-I is faster (which seems logic, as it does seem to be a lightweight design) than MK-II.
Though I disagree with all of the above, the majority wins… :(
2. Would TransLink spend that extra money to appeal the minority? Apparently not! Currently, their budget is probably all focusing on construction of Canada Line and bus re-routing…
1 comment:
Public transit is....public! Have you ever noticed those strange smells in other public places, like libraries and locker rooms or even in some private places like other people's homes?
Yep, that is the scent of other people. Public transit vehicles are cleaned on a regular (I woudl suspect daily) basis, but the amount of people riding them every day is huge. Some people smell good, some people stink. Some people eat their onion-filled Whoppers on transit, or reek of cigarette smoke. The combination is "eau de public", and I'm sure even riding with all the windows down would not lift the smell away.
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